And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

1. "And if ye call on the Father"

a. If we have a relationship with the God of the universe and we call Him Father, and we call on Him. This language is clearly reserved those in Covenant with God.

2. "who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work..."

a. Amplified Bible: 1 Peter 1:17 "And if you call upon Him as your Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does"

b. respect of persons [4382 * prosopolempsia] [Thayer: respect of persons, partiality, the fault of one who when called on to give judgment has respect of the outward circumstances of man and not to their intrinsic merits, and so prefers, as the more worthy, one who is rich, high born, or powerful, to another who does not have these qualities.]

c. There is no respect of persons with God, no partially, no favoritism.

1). Romans 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

2). Ephesians 6:9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

3). Colossians 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

d. Peter of course is writing to Christians, he is writing to us and he says that God is going to judge every man's work or our lives without favoritism. I think many Christians have the mistaken idea that because they are Christians, they are not going to be judged by God, but nothing could be farther from the truth. As believers, we are going to be judged for lives we have lived as Christians, not to determine whether we go to heaven but whether we receive rewards for faithfulness. This type of mindset will help us to live lives that are pleasing to God, and a life with less regret.

1). 2 Corinthians 5:9, 10 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

2). Romans 14:10-12 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

3. "pass the time of your sojourning here in fear."

a. Amplified Bible:"[then] you should conduct yourselves with true reverence throughout the time of your temporary residence [on the earth, whether long or short]."

1). This is not the only example of Peter exhorting believers to live holy lives. In his second epistle he writes similar words.

a). 2 Peter 3:10-12 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

b). Peter writes that in light of the fact that we all will be judged according to our works by a holy God with no partially, we need to live a life with that judgment in view. As the Amplified says, "conduct yourselves with true reverence". We are to live our lives in the reverential fear of the Lord. I want to give a Biblical definition of the fear of the Lord.

1). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

a). Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

2). The fear of the Lord will produce in us not only a hatred of evil, but especially a hatred of pride, arrogancy and a perverse mouth.

a). Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

3). The fear of the Lord will produce a strong confidence in us toward the things of God.

a). Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the LORD [is] strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

4). The fear of the Lord will cause us to depart from evil.

a) Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

e. As I said before, this type of mindset will help us to live lives that are pleasing to God, and a life with less regret.

My name is Don Costello. Ever since I received Christ in November of 1976 I have had a passion to study and know God's word.My wife Melissa and I have 5 children.